Chapter 14: A Mistake with a Bow

"No," I said.

My voice carried across the whole church hall, because nobody was talking.

"Ask what I have in the bank, Travis. You froze it yourself."

"I had two hundred and twelve dollars the day you drove up my street with her in your front seat."

Somebody near the cake table made a small sound.

"I haven't paid anyone anything," I said. "I went to her door, and I asked her a question, and she answered it."

"She came to my friend's house at midnight," I added. "On foot, in the sleet. Ask my friend."

My friend lifted her hand beside me.

"I'm a witness," she said. "I'd like that noted."

Travis looked from me to Kendra.

Kendra stood with her chin up and her daughter's hand in hers, shaking so hard that the bow on the girl's coat trembled.

"I've been lying to you for six years," she said. "I'm not doing it with this one."

Travis turned his head slowly, until he was looking at his mother.

Gail was not smiling now.

I had never seen that face. Everything soft had slid off it and there was only the bone.

"You will not do this in my church," she said.

"Mom."

"You will sit down and eat your cake like a Dunning, and we will talk about this in my kitchen like a family."

"Is it true?"

"Travis."

"Did you pay her rent?"

"I did what was necessary to protect you!" Gail's voice cracked across the hall.

"From her! From that child! From your father's mistake!"

"I carried it for six years while you ran around playing the hero to a waitress!"

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